Sheet press and method



May 2, 1933- H. P. L. LAUssucQ SHEET PRESS AND METHOD Filed May 2a, 1951 time HENRI P. L. LAUSSUCG, OF READING, ?ENNSYLVANA, ASSIGNR TO BIRDSBORO STEEL FONDRY @a MACHEIKE CGMPANY, GFBIRDSBORO,

GF PENNSYLVANIA PRESS Application inea tray 2e,

My invention relates to the manufacture of piessedboards from linely divided fiber. rlhis application is to some extent a continuation of my copending application, Serial No. 527,688, for sheet press and method, filed April Ll, 1931.

One purpose of my invention is to provide desirable cycles of operation and mechanism adapted to perform the methods involved.

A further purpose is to equip a press, including a mold and a. movable deelde, with novel means for controlling the drainage liquid from the mold.

A further purpose is to provide a Water loclr for retaining the drainage liquid in the mold during the filling of the mold with fiber or mush, and also during the operation of expelling the excess ber or mush and the air from the mold.

A further purpos-e is to construct a Water lock comprising a slide valve associated Witl the die which forms the bottom Aof the mold so that the slide Will open and close the drainage grooves formed in said die.

A further purpose is to provide operating mechanism for opening and closing a slide valve and for normally holding the valve ir the closed position.

A further purpose is to interconnect a Water loclr and the' gates Which admitrthe liber or mush to the mold, so that the Water lock is closed when the gates are in the open position.

A further purpose is to arrange troughs upon the lower die having outlet pipes connected with a sump, the troughs being positioned at the sides of the lower die for receiving the liquid from the ends-of the drainage grooves formed in the lower die Vwhen the Water lock is open.

A further purpose is to provide the lower die with a perforated plate for supporting a Wire screen and to .employ novel means for sealing trie joints between the movable declle and said perforated plate.

Further purposes will appear in the specification and in the claims.

My invention relates both to the methods or processes involved and to structure by which the methods may be carried out.

EINN'SYLVANIA, A CORPORATION AND vIETHOD 1931. Serial No. 546,155.

I have elected to show one main form only pf my invention, selecting main form that 1s practical and ellicient in operation and Which Well illustratestheprinciples involved.

Figure l is a side elevation of a press embodyingmy invention, shown partly in i section, as on the line 1--1, Figure 2.

Figure '2 is a right end elevation of Figure 1 partly in section, as on the line 2-2 of l1"igure l.

Figure an enlarged partial transverse vertical sectional view, as on the line 2-2 of .Figure 1. 1

Figure fl is a view similar to Figure 3, showing the parts in a different position.

n Like numerals refer to like parts in all ngures. i

lescribing in illustration and not in limitation and refe ring to the drawing lVet machines or presses for forming boards and sheets from paper pulp, leather fiber and other commercial liber suspensions are Well known, and therefore much of the illustration, although showing structure, is to be regarded as conventional. The primary purpose of all such machines is to press liquid, usually Water, from the raw material suspension to form the ravv material into a sheet.

For convenience in designation, l refer to the raw material, Whatever' its exact nature, as finely divided liber suspended in a liquid or as liber, or mush, and to the linished product, Whatever its dimensions, as a board7 or sheett Fiber suspensions are diiicult to press chiefly because of the extreme readiness with Vwhich the fiber precipitates from the liquid.Y

rlhis tendency to precipitate makes it highly important to maintain the liber flowing continuously in one direction, with as few interruptions as possible, to project the fiber laterally rather than vertically, avoiding sudden dropping into final position, to prevent all escape of liquid suspension medium until precipitation is desired and to charge the mold rapidly and accurately Without allowing air to be trapped in the mold.

ln the ordinary Wet machine the upper c ie lin is smooth and the lower die is foraminated for removal of. suspension medium.

lVhile it is customary to construct wet machines with upper movable and lower stationary dies, and this form has therefore been illustrated in the figures, lower movable dies are sometimes used. It will be evident, of course, that my invention is equally applicable, whether the upper die alone, or theV lower die alone, or both dies are movable.

-While the upper and lower dies are of course press platens, the. term platen is also applied to parts of the press located above or below the movable die, which are used to support the rams.

'The principal parts of the illustrated wet board press or wet machine include a frame 10 consisting of top and bottom fixed platens 11 and 12 respectively, tension columns 13, an intermediate platen 14 and a surrounding decirle 15. The intermediate platen 14 is or carries the upper die and lthe bottom platen 12 is or carries the lower die.

The fixed platens 11 and 12 are rigidly se cured together by the columns i3 and form the press frame 10. The movable or upper die 14 platen is positioned intermediate the fixed platens 11 and 12 and is slidably mounted upon the columns 13, which serve as guides. The upper die 14 is movable toward the bottom platen or the die 12 by main 1nydraulic rams 16 operatively mounted in cylinders 17. rigidly secured to the top platen 11. Said cylinders 17 have pipe connections 18 through which a pressure medium passes for forcing the rams 16 downwardly toward the lower fixed platen 12 which forms the lower die of the press.

The upper die 14 is moved upwardly by hangers 19 connected to the upper die 14 and suspended from cross-heads 20, which latter are lifted by retracting rams 21 operating in hydraulic cylinders 22, having suitable pipe connections 23. rThe cylinders 22 are rigidly mounted upon pedestals or bases 24 secured upon lugs 25 formed in the top overhanging portions of the top platen 11.

There are two of the retracting cylinders 22 located at opposite ends of the top platen 11. The retracting cylinders 22 are positioned upon the longitudinal center line of the top platen 11 and centrally of the cross heads 20. The cylinders 22 are arranged for lifting the cross heads, which in turn lift I the movable platen or upper die 14.

The movable die may otl course be equipped with equalizing mechanism to retain it horizontal at all times.

The movable platen 14 which forms the upper die is surrounded by a declrle 15 comprising longitudinal sides 26 and 27 located adjacent to the sides of the platen 14. The deckle 15 also includes transverse flow boxes 28 and 29 located adjacent to the ends of the platen 14. The flow boxes 28 and 29 are rigidly connected with the ends of the deelde sides 26 and 27.

The decirle sides 26 and 27 are provided with lugs 30 which are slidably mounted upon the tension columns 13, thus making the declle 15 movable relativelyV to the movable platen or upper die 14 and also to the lower die 12.

The deckle sides 26and 27 carry vertical side liners 31 detachably secured to the decirle sides. The side liners 31 abut against the ends of vertical end liners 32 extending parallel with the fiow boxes 28 and 29. The end liners 32 together with the side liners 31 form a parallelogram defining the sides and ends of the mold. The movable platen or upper die 14 is provided with vertical edge plates 33 which register properly with the deckle side liners 31 and end liners 32, sustaining` the lateral wear on the die or 1nov able platen 14 and insuring a working fit between the die 14 and the deckle 15, which is movable relatively to the die 14.

The. flow boxes 28 and 29 receive the fiber, mush, or other. material to be formed into Asheets in the press. The mush may be supplied t-o the flow boxes 28 and 29 through suitable pipes, not shown in the drawing.

The flow boxes 28 and 29 have discharge openings 34, through which the mush flows upon the upper surface of the lower die 12, filling, or partly filling, the mold or space formed between the opposite declle sides 26 and 27, when the deckle is in the lower position shown.

Stirrers 35 are located within the flow boxes 28 and 29 adjacent to the discharge openings 34, to keep the fiber from precipitatingl from its suspension medium in the flow bores. The stirrers are rotated by any suitable means, not shown in the drawing.

Gates 36 are loca-ted in the deckle 15 for opening and closingthe discharge openings of the flow boxes. rEhe gates move vertically in suitable guides, not shown.

I use the work declzle in its broad sense to ieans the lateral wall of the mold, including all inlet gates, vent gates, liners and confining walls whatsoever. I do not regard the distinction between the singular and the plural of the word declrle, nor between the side decirle and the end decirle, .as critical.

The deelde 15, together with the flow boxes forming part of the decirle, is supported and vertically positioned by hangers 37, having their lower ends rigidly connected at 38 to vthe transverse decirle frame members 39 forming the inner walls of the flow boxes 28 and 29. The deckle frame members 39 are rigidly connected with the end plates 40 of the flow boxes, and the plates 40, in turn, are rigidly attached to the deelde sides 26 and 27. The upper ends of the hangers 37 are rigidly secured to cross heads 41, having their outer ends mounted upon deckle elevating rams 42,

which reciprocate in hydraulic cylinders 43 rigidly secured at their lower ends upon extension brackets 44 formed upon the upper platen ll. rlhe cylinders 43 are provided with suitable pipe connections 45 for the admission or exhaust of a pressure medium`to lift or permit lowering of the deckle elevating rams rl`he gates 86 extend across the full length of the flow boxes 28 and S29. Upon each gate 36, preferably iocated adjacent to its center, is secured a superstructure 46, having` its upper end attached at 47 to a gate closing rain 48. There is a ram 48 for each gate 36. The rams 4S are operatively mounted in cylinders 49 having fluid connections 50, through which a pressure medium is preferably constantlj,y supplied to the cylinders By this arrangement the gates 36 are normally pressed downwardly into the closed position, as shown in the drawing. The cylinders 49, containing the gate closing rams 48, are rigidly mounted upon brackets 5l, by tie rods 52. The brackets 5l are mounted upon the retracting cylinders 22, as shown in Figure l.

The gates 36 are adapted to be lifted against the steady downward urging of the constant pressure rams 48, without lifting the deckle l5, by means of rocker arms 53 which make connection with slotted links 54 by means of pins 55. The lower ends of the slotted links 54 are pivotally connected at 56 with the gate 36.

The rocker arms 53 are rigidly fastened to a rocker shaft 57, journaled in suitable bearings 58 on the top platen 11, and connected through a crank 59 and a connecting rod 60 with a horizontal gate-opening ram 6l, in a cylinder 62 and having a fluid connection at 63.

A smaller ram 64, having a cylinder and a iuid connection 66, is integral with and opposed to the gate-opening ram 6l, and the smaller ram 64, being preferably under constant pressure, heavily retracts the gate-open ing ram 6l and thereby the rocker shaft 57 to the position corresponding with gate closure.

The slotted links 54 engaging the pins 55 permit upward movement of the deckle l5, including the gates 36, as a single unit without changing the positions of the rocker arms 53, and, if the deckle is all the way down, permit opening and closing of the gates without movement of the deckle. The gates 36 lift against the downward pressure of the constant pressure rams 48 by the action of the horizontal gate-opening ram 6l through the rocker shaft 57 and links 54, and close by action of therconstant pressure rams 48, upon releasing the horizontal gate-opening ram 6l. The constant pressure ram 64 returns the gate-opening ram 6l to itsoriginal position and at the same time returns the rocker arms 53 to starting position, acting through a connecting rod 60, a crank 59 and a shaft 57V.

When the deckle is raised, the gates are normally always closed under the heavy doaf'nward retraction from the constant presrains 48.

Desirable features of my invention are included in the structure of the flow boxes, which cooperate with the remainder of the mold to permit simultaneous adjustments of the rest positions of the die and of the quantity of liber delivered from the boxes into the mold during each cycle of the wet-machine. Y

As previously noted, it is important to prevent escape of water or other mush suspension medium from the mold during lling, and where overfilling is performed, during squeezing out of the excess mush from the mold. This prevention of liquid escape is commonly called water locking. On the other hand, it is important that free liquid escape be possible during pressing of the mush into a sheet.

The bottom die l2 'carries a lter bed permitting easy downward expression of water from the mush.

As illustrated, the top 67 of the bottom die l2 is provided with a succession of transverse drainage grooves 68. rlhe grooved surface is covered by a foraminated plate 69, which is in turn severed by a movable screen or wire 7 O of perhaps 40 or 60 mesh, desirably shifted and washed after forming each sheet. rlhe wire extends over pulleys 7 'l and 72, of which 7 2 is driven by a motor 7 8.

Provision is made for preventing the downward escape of water from the mush during the period that the mush is filling the mold, until the mush has reached its filling level and preferably until the upper die 14 has moved down and squeezed out any excess of mush which is to be removed from the mold, thus avoiding uneven precipitation of `T` fiber in the mold and lines of weakness in the formed sheet where fiber masses separately precipitated meet but fail to interlock because they have not settled exactly together.

A desirable feature of my invention is directed to the construction of the water lock on the bottom die l2 and to waterlocking the mold while the mush is entering the mold and until the upper die i4 has expelled the vair and/or excess mush from the mold and is ready to start upon its final downward pressing stroke. The water lock must not remain open for a suflicient time before the beginning ofthe pressing stroke of the die to allow drainage to lower the mush level and thus produce a void which the air will fill; nor should the die 14 start its final pressing stroke while th-e gates 36 are open appreciably.

The water lock illustrated in the drawing .ies

comprises slide valves having slides 74 positioned vertically at opposite sides of the lower die 12. The slides 74 are movable vertically between the vertical side surfaces of the lower die and troughs 75, rigidly mounted upon the opposite sides of the lower die 12.

Said troughs 75 are U-shaped in cross-section, having side walls 76 and 77 and a bottom wall 78. The inner side walls 77 are secured in spaced relation with respect to the vertical side surfaces of the lower die 12, thus forming vertical guides for the yvalve slides 74.

The inner walls 77 of the troughs 75 terminate below the level of the drainage grooves 68, so that the suspension medium, ordinarily water, from the latter may run into the troughs 75, when the water lock or valve slides 74 are moved downwardly. The slides 74 will preferably be moved downward until the upper edges of the slides 7 4 are below the bottom of the. drainage grooves 68.

The troughs 75 have pipes 79 leading to any .suitable drain or sump. The outer walls 76 of the troughs preferably extend to a sufficient height to form a tight joint with the outer edge portions 8O of the foraminated plate 69 which is supported upon the grooved top surface of the lower die.

The outer edge portions 80 of the plate 69 are not perforated beyond the mold as defined by the vertical liners 31 of the deckle sides 26 and 27.

The lower surface of tie declrle 15 is provided with a pad or gasl-:et 81, preferably of rubber or leather, which rests upon the edges of the wireI and presses the edges of the wire upon the unperforated outer portions 80 of the plate 69 when the declrle is in its lower position, preventing the escape of mush and liquid between the plate 69 and the deckle and directing the water or other suspension mediuni through the perforations in the plate 69 to the drainage grooves 68 formed in the die 12. from which it flows into the trough when the valve slides 74 are open, as shown in Figure 3.

lVhen the valve slides 74 are closed, as shown in Figure 4, the water is retained in the grooves 68 and also in the mush, since the upper edges of the valve slides 74 form a tight joint with the under surfaces of the unperforated portions 8O of the foraminated plate 69.

The valve slides 74 are held in the closed position, as shown in Figure 4, by lever arms 82 pivoted upon pins 88 secured in lugs 84, formed upon the lower die 12. The lever arms 82 carry weights 85 at their outer ends and are. connected with links 86 at their other ends. The links 86 connect with the valve slides 74.

The valve slides 74 are preferably always tightly closed if the gates 36 are open, so that the closed water lock will prevent the drainage of liquid from the mush during the filling of the mold. When the gates 36 are closed, as shown in Figure 1, the valve slides 74 are opened to permit the water to drain from the Vmush during the pressing of the latter by the movable die 14.

The slides 74 are automatically opened by closing of the gates 36 by means of flexible connections 87 attached at their lower extremities to the weighted ends of the lever arms 82.

The flexible connections 87 pass over guide pulleys 88 mounted upon the upper platen 11, and also around drums 89, secured upon the opposite ends of the rocker shaft 57. The flexible connections are coiled about the drums 89 in a direction such that the flexible connections wind upon the drums when the rocker shaft 57 is turned into the position to close the gates 36, thus lifting the weighted ends of the lever arms 82, and thereby moving the valves slides 74 into the open position. Through the opposite rotation of the shaft 57, the flexible connections will unwind due to the direction of winding on the drums` 89, thus allowing the weights 85 to move the lever arms 82 into a position to close the slides 74 as shown in Figure 4. The open position of the valve slides 74 forming the water lock corresponds to the closed position of the gates 36.

When the deckle 15 is raised, the gates 36 always remain in the closed position for` retaining the mush within the' flow boxes 28 and 29.

The operation of my invention is as fol lows z- The deckle 15 is raised to the position shown in Figure 1 and the previously formed sheet is removed from the mold by hand or upon any suitable transfer 'mechanisnn Then the deckle 15 is lowered to the position shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4. The flow boxes 28 and 29 have been previouslyflled with mush for forming the next sheet.

During all of these steps the water lock is not functioning, and, in the form here shown, is open. Itis desirable that the water lock be open when the sheet is lifted from the bottom die, so that access of air is possible between the die and the sheet.

The gates 36 are opened so that the mush flows from the flow boxes into the mold, cov ering the wire 70 and filling the area of the mold defined by the vertical walls of the declrle. Simultaneously with the opening of the gates the water lock closes.

If the upper die 14 is in such a position that the mold capacity corresponds with the quantity of mush to be used in making the sheet, the gates may then be closed, and the water lock simultaneously opened. Then the sheet may be formed by expressing the water or other suspension medium.

I prefer, however, to ll the mold at a time when the mold capacity exceeds the volume of mush to be used in forming the sheet. In this mode of operation, with the gates 36 remaining open, the upper die is moved downwardly upon the mush in the mold while the gates are open, thus allowing the air from above the mush and the excess mush to be returned to the iow boxes 28 and 29 through the open gates. During this portion of the operation the water locks are closed by the weighted lever arms 82, thus preventing the drainage of liquid from the mush during the period that the mush is filling the mold and until the mush hasV reached its filling level, and preferably until the upper die 14 has moved down and squeezed out any excess of mush which is to be removed from the mold, thus avoiding uneven precipitation of fiber in the mold and lines of weakness in the formed sheet where fiber masses separately precipitated meet but fail to interlock because they have not settled exactly together.

When the gates 36 are closed, the water locks are automatically opened, so that the upper die 14 may perform its pressing operation and force the water from the mush into the drainage grooves 68 formed in the lower die 12. From the grooves the water flows over the opened valve slides 74 and into the troughs 7 5, from which it is carried away through the drainage pipes 79.

IlVhen the upper die 14 has completed the pressing opera-tion, the deckle 15 may be lifted, with the gates 36 in the closed position. The upper die 14 may be elevated into the position shown in Figure 1, so that the finished sheet may be removed from the press in a manner well known in the art.

When operating my wet machine by overiilling the mold and then squeezing out the excess of fiber through the gates, I will move the upper die 14 relatively toward the lower die 12 until the excess of mush has been squeezed from the mold, and then slow down or preferably stop the upper die movementV until the gates have been closed before pressingthe fiber into a sheet.

The range of movement of the gates and the water lock valve slides will preferably be such that the water lock closes fully before the gates open.

It will be evident that my invention is particularly advantageous in large machineshaving lower dies provided with numerous drainage channels, since I individually close the drainage channels when my water lock is closed. `On the other hand, when my water lock is open each drainage channel communi- Cates directly with a header so that there is no possibility7 of clogging in the water lock valve.

In my preferred form the valve extends the full length of the drainage channels so that the drainage cross section at the valve is equal to or greater' than the drainage cross section in the channels when the valve is open.

By using the side wall of the lower die and the side of the drainage header as guides for my valve slide, I greatly simplify the mechamade hydraulic means are well known,'and I O consider that the principal features of my invention are sufficiently illustrated by describing the mechanical form.

I believe that I am the first to interconnect a water lock with the flow box gates of a wet machine so that the water lock is closed when the gates are open and open when the gates are closed.

I also believe that I am the first to close the individual horizontal drainage channels of a wet machine die between the drainage channels and a header.

In view of my invention and disclosure variations and. modifications to lmeet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident to others skilled in the art, to obtain partv or all of the benefits of my invention without copying the structure shown, and I, therefore, claim all such insofar as they fall within the reasonable lspirit andscope of my invention. v

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: l

1. The method of preparing a sheet from finely divided fiber suspended in a liquid within a mold having a relatively movable top and bottom, which consists in filling the entire mold with fiber to a depth greater than that required to produce a sheet, in expelling the excess of fiber from the mold, in closing y the mold against drainage, preventing drainag-e of liquidv from the mold while expelling the excess of liber and suspension from the mold, and in pressing the remaining fiber intov that required to produce a sheet, in expelling the excess of fiber from the mold by moving the mold top andbottom relatively closer together while restraining drainage from the mold bottom, in decreasing the rate of relative movement of the mold top and bottom while preventing further escape of liber from the mold and permitting drainage and in pressing the remaining fiber into a sheet.

3. In a wet machine of the type having upper and lower dies and a declle, a lower die having water carrying passages communieating with a common discharge outlet and a. water lock shutting` off the individual passages.

4. In a wet machine, upper and lower dies, a deckle, the lower die having water carrying passages communicating with a common discharge outlet, a water loclr shutting off the individual passages, and a gate in the deckle interconnected with the water lool; to release the water lock when the gate closes.

5. In a wet machine, upper and lower dies, a deckle, the lower die having water carrying passages communicating with a common discharge out-let, a water lock shutting off the individual passages, a gate in the deckle, an upper die adapted initially to engage and come to rest against a charge in the mold while the gate is open and operating connections releasing the water lock when the gate closes.

6. In a wet machine, relatively movable upper and lower dies, a deelde, a gate in the declrle, a water lock for the lower die and cooperative connection between the water lock and the gate to maintain the water lock closed while the gate is open and to maintain the water lock open while the gate is closed.

7. In the operation of a wet machine having a mold, a gate and a water lock, the art which consists in coordinating the. closing of the water loclr and the opening of the gate.

8. In the operation of a wet machine having a mold, a gate and a water lock, the art which consists in coordinating the closing of the water loclr and the opening of the gate and in closing the water lock before the gate opens.

9. In a wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, a deckle movable rela-V tively to said dies, said declrle forming the vertical walls of a mold, said lower die forming the bottom of the mold, a waterv lock located at the edge of the lower die adjacent the deckle arranged for retaining liquid within the mold and means for opening and closing the water lock.

10. In a wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, a leckle movable relatively to said dies, said decirle forming the vertical walls of a mold, said lower die forming the bottom of the mold, and a valve slide movably mounted upon the lower die arranged for retaining liquid within the mold.

11. In a wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, a declrle movable relatively to said dies, said deckle forming the vertical walls of a mold, said lower die forming the bottom of the mold, a valve slidably mounted uopn the lower die, said lower die having a drainage groove formed therein, and means for moving the valve for opening and closing said drainage groove.

12. In a wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, a deckle movable relatively to said dies, said deckle forming the vertical walls of a mold, said lower die forming the bottom of the mold, a drainage trough mounted upon the lower die, said lower die having drainage grooves formed therein communicating with said trough, a valve slide located between said trough and the lower die, and mea-ns for moving the slide into a position to close communication between the drainage groove and the trough.

13. In a wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, a deckle movable relatively to said dies, said deckle forming the vertical walls of a mold, said lower die forming the bottom of the mold, a sealing member located between the deckle and the lower die, said lower die having a drainage groove formed therein located below said sealing member, and means for opening and closing said drainage groove.

14. In a wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, a deckle movable relatively to said dies, said deckle forming the vertical walls of a mold, said lower die forming the bottom of the mold, a perforated plate upon the top face of the lower die, said lower die having drainage grooves formed therein below said plate, av sealing member located between the declrle and the outer edge portions of said plate, and a valve arranged for opening and closing said drainage grooves.

15. In a wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, a deckle movable relatively to said dies, said deckle forming the vertical walls of a mold, said lower die for-ming the bottom of the mold, a perforated plate upon the top surface of the lower die, a wire screen upon said plate, said plate and said' screen having their edges extending under the deckle, a pad upon the lower face of the deelde arranged to form a sealing member between the deckle and said plate, said lower die having drainage grooves formed therein below said plate, and a valve arranged for opening and closing said drainage grooves.

16. In a wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, a deckle movable rela'- tively to said dies, said deckle forming the vertical walls of a mold, said lower die forming the bottom of the mold, a plate upon the top surface of the lower die and projecting beyond the edges of the lower die, said plate having perforations therein located above said lower die, said lower die having drainage grooves formed therein below said plate, and a valve slidably mounted upon the side of the lower die arranged for closing said grooves when the edge of the valve abuts against the under surface of said plate.

17. In a wet machine, upper and lower' relatively movable dies, a deelde movable relatively to said dies, said deelde forming the vertical walls of a mold, said lower die forming the bottom of the mold, said lower die having drainage grooves formed in the top surface thereof, a valve slidably mounted upon the lower die and movable transversely relatively to said grooves for closing the latter, a trough, mounted upon the lower die adjacent to said valve, with which said drainage grooves communicate when the valve is positioned to open said grooves, a plate upon the top surface of the lower die having its outer edge portions projecting over the valve and trough, forming a cover for the latter, and said plate having perforations communicating between the mold and said grooves.

18. In a wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, a deelde movable relatively to said dies, said deelde forming the vertical walls of a mold, said lower die forming the bottom of the mold, vertical guides upon the side of the lower die, and a valve slide movably mounted in said guides, whereby the upper edge of the valve slide may be positioned to reta-in liquid within the mold.

19. In a wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, a. deelde movable relatively to said dies, said deelde forming the vertical walls of a mold, said lower die forming the bottom of the mold, vertical guides upon the side of the lower die, a valve slide movably mounted in said guides, and a counter balance operatively associated with the valveV slide arranged for normally positioning the top edge of the valve slide to retain liquid within the mold.

20. In a wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, a deelde movable relatively to said dies, said deelde forming the vertical walls of a mold, said lower die forming the bottom ot' the mold, vertical guides upon the side of the lower die, a valve slide movably mounted in said guides, an arm pivotally mounted upon the lower die having one end operatively associated with the valve slide, a. weightupon the opposite end of said arm arranged for normally positioningl the valve slide relatively to the top surface of the lower die for retaining drainage liquid in the mold.

2l. In a wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, a deelde movable relatively to said dies. said deelde forming the vertical walls of a mold, a gate upon the deelde for controlling a passagewa.7 to and from the mold, a water lock upon the lower die` and means operatively associated with the gate and the water lock to maintain the water lock open when the gate is closed.

22. In a wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, a deelde movable relatively to said dies, said deelde forming the vertical walls ofamold, a gate upon the deelde for controlling a passageway to and from the mold, a'vvater lock positioned on the lower die adjacent the deelde, means operatively associated with the water lock to maintain the same normally in a position to hold liquid within the mold, and means operatively associated with the gate and the water loclr. to maintain the water lock open when the Oate is closed.

29. In a wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, the lower die having drainage outlets, and a deelde for one 0f the dies, forming a mold, a flow box, a gate between the flow box and the mold,'means for raising and lowering the gate, a source of material to be pressed, means for charging the mold with the material in excess of the intended ultimate depth of charge, movable dies means for squeezing back into the flow box the excess of charge, means for closing the gate while the excess Vcharge is so held baclr, a water lock arranged for closing the drainage outlet through the lower die, and eooperating means between the gate and the water lock for opening the latter when the gate is closed.

24. In a wet machine, an upper fixed platen, a lower lixed die, columns rigidly connected with said upper platenand said die, a die movably mounted upon the columns, a

deelde movably mounted upon the columns forming a mold when positioned upon the lower die. a flow box upon the deelde, a gate between the flow box and the mold for con- Vtrollingy the flow of fiber between the flow box and the mold, a shaft rotatably mounted upon the fixed platen, means for rotating said shaft, mechanism operatively associated with the shaft and the gate for opening the gate by the rotation of the shaft, a water lock mounted upon the lower die, means for normally closing the water lock arranged to retain water within the mold, a drum upon said shaft, and a flexible connection upon said drum havingits opposite end connected with the water lock arranged for opening the water leek when the shaft is turned to gate j closing position.

25. In the operation of a wet machine having a mold, a gate and a water lock, the art which consists in coordinating the closing of the water loclr and the opening of the gate and in closing the water lock concurrently with the opening movement of the gate.

25. In a wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies. a deelde movable relatively to said dies, said deelde formingv the vertical walls of a mold, said lower die forming the bottom of the mold, a plurality of water locks located at respective edges of the lower die adjacent the deelde arranged Cil for retaining liquid Within the mold and means for concurrently opening and closing all of the Water looks.

27. In a. Wet machine, upper and lower relatively movable dies, a deelile movable relatively to said dies, said deckle forming the vert-ical Walls of a mold, said lower die forming' the botom of the mold, a plurality of valves slidaloly mounted upon dierent edges of the lower die, said lower die having drainage grooves formed therein and means for concurrently moving the valves for opening and closing' the drainage grooves.

HENRI P. L. LAUSSUCQ. 

